I've just been talking to my Dad about various topics, including ghosts.

I'm sure most of you know that I have zero belief in the paranormal and generally don't have much time for people who do (unless they attempt to rationally explain it). My Dad does believe in ghosts though he does believe that most ghost stories are bullshit.

Anyways, we got onto the topic of Most Haunted, one of those bullshit shows that attempts to film the paranormal. My Dad says that he watched an episode where while the crew were filming a security guard looked out of a window into a courtyard and saw a woman walking though it, the courtyard was sealed off and there was definitely no-one in it. The show's sceptic claimed that the security guard was a big time sceptic himself with no reason to lie, and definitely not the sort of person to get spooked by suggestion. The sceptic claimed he 'cannot explain this'.

My Dad thinks this is potentially valid evidence for the existence of ghosts. I think that there could be several explanations. My Dad also implied that I am possibly being as rigid and inflexible as creationists with my viewpoint as I am rejecting potential evidence that doesn't fit with my view of the world.

Anyone got any opinions?

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(08-03-2012 06:20 PM)Hughsie Wrote: I've just been talking to my Dad about various topics, including ghosts.

I'm sure most of you know that I have zero belief in the paranormal and generally don't have much time for people who do (unless they attempt to rationally explain it). My Dad does believe in ghosts though he does believe that most ghost stories are bullshit.

Anyways, we got onto the topic of Most Haunted, one of those bullshit shows that attempts to film the paranormal. My Dad says that he watched an episode where while the crew were filming a security guard looked out of a window into a courtyard and saw a woman walking though it, the courtyard was sealed off and there was definitely no-one in it. The show's sceptic claimed that the security guard was a big time sceptic himself with no reason to lie, and definitely not the sort of person to get spooked by suggestion. The sceptic claimed he 'cannot explain this'.

My Dad thinks this is potentially valid evidence for the existence of ghosts. I think that there could be several explanations. My Dad also implied that I am possibly being as rigid and inflexible as creationists with my viewpoint as I am rejecting potential evidence that doesn't fit with my view of the world.

Anyone got any opinions?

I'd say it has to be some sort of illusion. Get the bullshit detector out, Hughsie

Eyewitness accounts are barely acceptable as *courtroom* evidence, let alone scientific evidence. There is quite a lot of room to fool the human mind and senses. That's why for scientific rigor we demand many eyes, many brains, and standards upon which all those eyes and brains can agree.